Miyamoto Musashi was one of the greatest warriors to ever live.
No samurai could best Musashi in combat. His Two Heavens as One sword style he found on the path to swordsmanship mastery proved to be the best in all the land. Later in his life he retired from dueling, and started his own school with his own style, the “Two Heavens as One” school. He also pursued mastery in ink painting, woodworking, zen meditation, poetry, architecture, and more. The legend of many paths.
Musashi’s final work before his death, the Dokkōdō, provides 21 precepts, rules for life which still contain practical use today. These rules helped Musashi walk his path to glory while retaining his honor as a legend of Japan.
Below are books about the legend, Miyamoto Musashi
Musashi Books
The Book of Five Rings
Kindle | Hardcover | Audiobook | Audio CD
The book of Five Rings is authored by Miyamoto Musashi himself roughly a year before his death in 1645. It was his wisdom to pass to his students and to the world. A few days before his death he wrote the the Dokkōdō.
The book of five rings is separated into five books:
- The book of earth
- The book of water
- The book of fire
- The book of wind
- The book of the void
Each book focuses on a different element of combat. Musashi believed combat is a mental battle as much as a physical battle. The Book of Five Rings is a combination of the various aspects of his teachings to his students.
The book of five rings is not a physical combat book, but a book on the strategy of warfare.
Select quotes from The Book of Five Rings:
- Think lightly of yourself and deeply of the world.
- Do nothing that is of no use.
- If you wish to control others you must first control yourself.
- from one thing, know ten thousand things.
- Today is victory over yourself of yesterday; tomorrow is your victory over lesser men.
- Do not regret what you have done.
- All man are the same except for their belief in their own selves, regardless of what others may think of them.
The Lone Samurai: The Life of Miyamoto Musashi
Kindle | Hardcover | Paperback
The lone Samurai is a book about Musashi’s life and who he was. For example, you can see in painting of Musashi that he had red, pockmarked skin indiciative of eczema.
Many of Musashi’s battles are told in The Lone Samurai.
The Lone Samurai Quotes:
- Musashi and Takuan both believed that the great mistake was being slowed or rendered immobile by what one sees, hears, feels, or thinks
- Musashi could teach his techniques and give advice, but in the end each disciple was required to assess his own strength, find his own Way, and make that Way truly his own.
Musashi: An Epic Novel of the Samurai Era
Kindle | Hardcover | Paperback
Musashi is the novelization of Musashi’s life written in 1935 by Eiji Yoshikawa, who also wrote the historical samurai novel Taiko. The book wasn’t translated into Englash until 1981.
Musashi Quotes:
- It is easy to crush an enemy outside oneself but impossible to defeat an enemy within.
- I want to lead an important life. I want to do it because I was born a human being.
- Hold on to your life and make it honest and brave.
- Think what you like. There are people who die by remaining alive and others who gain life by dying.
Musashi (Graphic Novel)
Musashi’s life in graphic novel format. Based on The Lone Samurai listed above.
The Book of Five Rings (Graphic Novel)
The book of five rings in graphic form.
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2 comments
Damn. My book didn’t make the list.
Can you send it to me? Please use the contact form and I’ll throw it on if it makes sense.